The Magic of Clowns

June 26, 2025

On May 26th, 2025, Peru celebrated Peruvian Clown Day in honour of Jose Alvarez Velez, better known as Tony Perejil, a beloved clown who passed away on May 25, 1987. Tony Perejil was known as the Clown of the Poor, bringing joy to the shantytowns of Lima and donating his earnings to charity. Exch year, hundreds of clowns from across Peru gather in Lima for a colourful parade, donning extravagant costumes, oversized shoes, and painted faces.

Now, not everyone loves clowns, especially a few of my grandkids. When they were little and came to stay over, I'd hide them away. One summer, my husband took down a large clown that hung from the ceiling on a swing in the room that two of the grandkiddies were sleeping in. Instead of hiding it, he placed it on the deck in a lawn chair. All was well until my grandson ran onto the deck the next morning and froze, unable to move or talk. I put it in a garbage bag and hid it in the toolshed.

 I, on the other hand, love clowns and have a rather large collection,  some of which are displayed here.

                

    This is my favourite, a cut ceramic mask made for me by my DIL, Pam. 

    

   

                The one with the pearl tear drops is my 2nd favourite.

And finally, this display of butterflies, angels, and clowns sits above my writing desk.

So, what do clowns have to do with writing? To me, they represent life with all of our emotions. They inspire me when creating characters in my stories.

Enjoy (or not, lol), I hope your day is as joyful as the 

Clowns' day, who celebrate Peruvian Clown Day!

  

PLAYLIST

 Hi all! Recently, I learned something new in the publishing field: How to create a playlist for my finished novel, Beyond Impact. This was a new concept for me. It involves using songs to describe the book. Some people have a song for every chapter, some for the whole story. I chose to break the book into sections and suggest songs I love that, in my mind's eye, match the events happening in that section of the story.

It was a time-consuming job, but I had a lot of fun creating my playlist. Music has always been a part of my life. When settling in to write, I always listen to music. It stimulates my creativity. 

I also love to sing, and at one point in my life, sang in a local group called Nostalgia. We sang as a group of eight, sometimes shared duos, and we all had our moment to shine and sing solo songs. The idea of using songs to describe my books as a whole has been with me for a while. I planned to create videos for my online accounts that described the story, and sing a song that best reflects the book's overall plot.

Author playlists for books have validated my original thoughts for creating these videos. All I need to do now is find the time to produce them. If you are wondering what these playlists are used for, some authors include them in their books, use them as a marketing strategy, and some agents request a copy of the playlist when querying them for representation.

So, here's my Author Playlist. Enjoy, and if you see a favourite song of yours in my list, take a break, look it up and let the music soothe your soul. 

Beyond Impact Playlist

 

Opening & Impact (The Accident & Immediate Aftermath)

1. "Eye of the Tiger" – Survivor (Chaotic, adrenaline-fueled energy)
2. "All by Myself" – Celine Dion (Raw vulnerability, emotional wreckage)
3. "Everybody Hurts" – REM (Desperation, fate, and unintended consequences)

The Journey Begins (Escape, Uncertainty, and Bonding)

4. "Fight Song" – Rachel Platten (Movement, escape, and the weight of trauma)
5. "Way Down We Go" – Kaleo (Dark, brooding, inevitable descent into truth)
6. "Gravity” – John Meyer (Survival, tension, and the fight ahead)

Unveiling the Secret (Family, Betrayal, and Discovery)

7. “Memory – Barbara Streisand” (Regret, longing, and the past catching up)
8. "Mr. Cellophane – John C Reilly (Exposure, and emotional reckoning)
9. “Hallelujah” – Leonard Cohen (Power struggles, hidden truths)

The Climax (Breaking Point, Courage, and Transformation)

10. “Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd (Despair, and depression)
11. "Lose Yourself" – Eminem (High stakes, seizing the moment)
12. "I am Woman" – Helen Reddy (Resilience, determination, and facing the odds)

Resolution & Reflection (Healing, New Beginnings, and Change)

13. “That’s how the Light Gets In” – Leonard Cohen (Letting go, moving forward)
14. "Up Where We Belong” – Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes (Finding belonging, new bonds)
15. "Imagine" – John Lennon (Unbreakable connections, fate)
16. 
    

Until next time, cheers!